Bearing retaining means



Jan. s, 1942. "H, FRAm-:NTHAL m; l2,268,745

BEARING RETAININGy MEAN Filed March 1e, `19:59

l f /lr [lf .l 'fr mwa/ML ATTORNEY u movement of Patented Jan. 6, ,1942.

corporation of Indiana Application March 1,8, 1939, Serial No. 262,612 7 claims. 01. sos-21s) This invention relates to bearing retaining means, and is a continuation in part of our copending application, Serial No. 229,956, filed September 14, 1938.

In the copending application we have disclosed a number of bearing assemblies having means for retaining the bearings against radial displacement during, assembly. comprising bands Y.

located against axial movement on the lips of the bearing race.

2in that application the bands were secured against axial displacement by means of prick punching 'portions of the band -into angular grooves formed in the faces of the retaining lips ci the race, these pricks behig spaced apart circumferentially and so arranged as to produce a slight expansion of 'the band to insure the posi- :tive location oi the band in the assembly.

The present application constitutes an improvement on such an assembly and reduces materially the cost of the construction. In the present application the bands are located on the iaces of the lips by means of spot welding, which positively secures the bandsin position and eliminates Ithe necessity of cutting the grooves in the faces and employing the prick punchings heretofore 'thought necessary. This materially reduces-coth the cost 'and time of assembly, and

insures a positively located band that cannot be' snapped loose under any conditions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the folifotving detailed description which, taken in coni ction with lthe accompanying drawing-will disciose to those skilled in the art the particular construction and operation of a preferred. form ci thejpresent invention.

in the drawing: p

Figure l isa perspective View of an assembly embodying the present inventiom' ,iigure 2 is a sectional view orm ci bearing; y

Figure 3 is a corresponding view through a s double row bearing; and

`Figure 4 shows the application of the invention to an inner bearing race. i Y Considering now Figure 1 in detail, the outer bearing race 5 is of the usual construction having the radiauy mwmuy extending np portions s which define therebetween the bearing raceways i1 in which arey located a plurality of antijrictlon members or rollers 8 vhaving relatively heavy trunnioned ends 8 which limit the axial area defined by the circular row of rollers 8 is the roller members `8. Withinv the,

c fused to the metal vit against either axial or radial displacement.

through 'a mp'dihed by engagement of Vfaces of lthe lips 6 tam Bearings Corporation,

Mich., assignors to Ban- South Bend, Ind., a

an inner sleeve or`race member I8 upon which supports the bearthe rolls engage, and which ing assembly.

A suitable metal band spring stock and cut from strip to the required length, is inserted in position about' the axial face of each of the lips 6, and is of a width such that when located flush with the' outer radial overhangs vthe raceway- 1 to an extent such as to be engaged by the trunnions 8 of the rollers if they tend to become radially displaced.` The band I2 is placed in position on the face-of the lip 6, and is then welding operations whereby the metal is axially of the lips 6 to securely locate Preferably, this spot-welding is provided about the entire length of the strip at intervals of approximately l inch, with the meeting edges 'of the bands being welded at the junction, as indicated at M, and also immediately adjacent the junction on each end of the band as indicated at 15. The other spot welds are indicated generally at i3.

In assembling a construction of this type,wthe race 5 is first accurately machined and the rollers t are then placed therein, preferably being held in position bythe use of a `suitable lubricant of sufficient viscosity to maintain the rollers in position. If desired, one of the bands l2 placed on the face of one of the lips 6 and welded in position -prior to the` assembly of the rollers, and the adjacent trunnion ends of the rollers then slipped into the channel shaped recess formed by the overhanging edge of they band, the radial face ofthe lip, and the adjacent 'portion ofthe raceway surface l. The other band is then placed in position and welded in a similar manner. When this has been accomplished, the bearing assembly is complete and the rollers cannot be displaced radially from the race without destruction of the 'band l2. This insures that thebearing may be handled, changed, and assembled in any desiredinstallation without any.

necessity of providing additional means of holding the rollers inposition. This is of great convenience in bearings or in storing the same.

It is to be understood that the bands I2 serve -no function 'so far as locating the rollers against axial movement, this being accomplished solely the trunnion ends 9-with the defining surfaces of the lips 6 which terminate theraceway 1. The bands l2 serve only to pre- I2, preferably made of i the inner edge of the hand subjected to a series of spot y may be the field, and also in shipping the or the like,

vent radial displacement of the rollers 8 in handling the bearing, being entirely out of contact with the rollers whenever the bearing has been installed in operative position. This distinguishes from other types of bearing assemblies in which suitable members are carried by the ends of the bearing race, and project radially inwardly and then axially inwardly to form both axial and radialstops for the roller members. Such installations are not satisfactory in that using a band for this purpose does not afford adequate strength against axial displacement of the bearing, and consequently such bearings are easily misalined resulting in rapid self-destruction of the bearing.

i In Figure 2 a similar type of bearing is shown except that the vintegral flanges 6 have been replaced by end rings I1 which are stacked or otherwise held in position in slightly recessed bores formed in the inner annular surface of the race I8. These end rings serve the same function as the lips G in supporting axial thrust of the roller members 8, and bands I2 are welded to the inner axial surfaces of the rings I1 in the same manner as described in connection with Figure 1. Here again the bands serve no function except to prevent radial displacement of the rollers B'by engagement of the trunnion ends 9 when the rollers 8 tend to 'move away from the raceway I8. When the bearing is assembled in its final operative position there is no contact between the "rollers 8 and the bands I2 since axial movement of the rollers 8 is limited solely by the end rings I1.

In Figure 3 a similar construction is provided except that the outer race 20 has two raceways 22 and 23 formed thereinin axially spaced relationship and separated by a common radially vextending ange 24 .and the outer radially inwardly extending lips 25. Again the flange 24 and the lips 25 function to'retain the rollers 8 against axial ;displacement, and radial displacement of the rollers during handling is prevented by the bands I2 welded onto the axial faces 'of the lips 25. A

band 26 is also provided which is welded'v tov the flange 24, as shown, but which projects axially on both sides of the radial faces of thevflange to form a retainer for the adjacent ends of both rows of rollers. Here again the rollers do not engage either the bands I2 or the band 26 when in operative position.

In Figure 4 an inner bearing race 30 is shown having the radially outwardly extending end lips 22 which define therebetween a raceway 38 vfor receiving the rollers 8. Welded on the axial outer surface of the lips 32 are bands 34 corresponding to the bands I2 which overhang the lips axially ,inwardly of the raceway to an extent -such as to be engaged by the trunnion ends Srof the rollers Y if the rollers tend to move radially`outwardly of the race. As stated heretofore, the bands I4 have no function during actual operation of the bearing, but function only when the bearing is being handled or shipped.

It is to be understood that the bands may be continuously welded entirely about the circumference, as by stitch welding, resistance welding i instead of having spaced vspot welds, although any kind of welding suflicient to secure the bands in proper location can be employed.

It is belived apparent that with this construction a greatly improved bearing is provided which can be very 'cheaply assembled and which has decided advantages in handling and shipping. Furthermore, it eliminates the necessity of We are aware lthat various changes may be` made in certain of the details of the present in- `vention, and w'e therefore do not intend to be limited except as deilned by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

We claim:r

1. A bearing assembly comprising a bearing race member having radially extending end flanges denning therebetween a bearing raceway, trunnion ended rollers in said raceway, said anges having uninterrupted smooth cylindrical surfaces'on the axial faces thereof, and retaining bands on said axial faces of said flanges comprising split band members of a width greater than the flange and of a length equal to the circumference of the face of the flange, each of saidibands being wrapped about the face and located so as to overhang only said trunnion ends, v

said band members being spot welded at cirycumferentially spaced points and at the abutting ends to the axial faces of said flanges.

2. A bearing assembly comprising an outer race member, radially inwardlydirected lips at vopposite ends thereof defining therebetween a bearing raceway, a plurality of rollers in said raceway having trunnion ends yengaging the lateral faces of said lips to limit axial movement of vsaid rollers, and split spring metal band members on the inner axial faces of said lips overhanging said raceway to an extent suilicient only to retain said rollers against radial displacement during handling, but entirely inoperative when said bearing is mounted in operative position, each of said band members having its adjacent ends abutting and being spot Welded to said lip faces at circumferentially spaced points including the point of abutment of said ends.

3. The bearing assembly of claim 2 wherein I said overhanglng portions of said band members are engageable with said trunnions only when said rollers having moved radially out of said raceway a,predetermined distance.

4. A bearing assembly comprising a bearing v race member having a plurality of axially spaced radially directed flanges deflning'therebetween axially spaced bearing raceways, rollers in said raceways having trunnion ends engaging the lateral faces of said ilanges to limit axial displacement thereof, and split metal band strips welded at spaced points to the axial faces of said flanges and of a width to overhang the adjacent raceway to an extent such as to be engageable with said trunnionsmpon predetermined radial displacement of said rollers out of said raceways.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein the band stripl on the flange common to two raceways is of a width such that it overhangs both race' ways.

6. A bearing assembly comprising an outer race member having axially spaced radially inturned end flanges provided with uninterrupted cylindrical axial faces, trunnion ended rollers confined axially in said race member between said ilanges, a Aspring metal band of a width greater than said flange adapted to be wrapped into position on the axial face of each of said flanges with its ends in abutment and with one edge in alinement with the outer radial face of said ange, vand circumferentially spaced spot welds permanently securing said band to said face.

7. The combination. with a needle miler beating assembly comprising an outer race member with smooth axial faces, said flanges defining therebetween a bearing raceway, and aplurality f of needle rollers in said raceway having trunnion ends and coniined axially by the inner radial faces of said anges, of retaining means for preventing radial displacement of said rollers com' sltion'l on said flange face with the inner edge thereof partially overhanging said trunnion ends of lsaid rollers and with. the meeting ends in abutment, said bands having their abutting ends welded to said 'ange face and also being spot welded at circumferentially spaced intervals to said flange face to secure said bands permanent-V ly against displacement from said faces.

HAROLD FRAUEN'HAL. STANLEY R. THOMAS. 

